The Law Society has published research this morning on the health and well being of solicitors. The research shows that nearly all solicitors (95%) suffer from stress. It also shows that nearly half (45%) go to work when they should be off sick.
We doubt that this will come as any surprise to most conveyancers as the pressure from home moving clients seems to continue to increase with little respite. The consequences of being away from your desk ill and what you might find when you get back are often a significant incentive to work through illnesses. It is therefore unsurprising that compared with the reports CIPD average days off across all sectors of 7.6 days this survey shows that solicitors took an average of 6.6 days off per year.
Law Society president Nicholas Fluck said: "By its nature, law is a demanding career with high expectations from clients and a changing legal market. Many of us are drawn to the intellectual challenge of law and thrive on the high pressure excitement that the work entails.
"Lawyers do not want to let their clients down, which explains why they go to work if sick. It is humbling to see this dedication, but sometimes we need to pause and put our health first.
"Solicitors experiencing stress or other sickness at work should talk to their manager about it. If for any reason they are not comfortable having that conversation, the Law Society has a free helpline to support them."
The Law Society report reminded solicitors that it has a helpline for solicitors and provides support to LawCare. Solicitors needing advice can speak to:
